{"id":95,"date":"2011-09-04T20:51:10","date_gmt":"2011-09-04T19:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=95"},"modified":"2011-09-04T20:51:10","modified_gmt":"2011-09-04T19:51:10","slug":"come-to-the-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=95","title":{"rendered":"Come to the party"},"content":{"rendered":"

Things I miss about teaching at SCHOOL \u2013 the excuses children make.<\/p>\n

I was late for class because i was fighting with a kid who said that you werent the best teacher in the world
\non the way to school i was feeding the ducks and my homework fell in
\ni made my homework into a paper plane and it was highjacked
\nI ate my homework because I didn’t have any ice cream, but it had all the answers on it so it made me smarter.
\nI was late for class because the bell rang before I got here!!
\nDear School: Please ekscuse John being absent on Jan. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and also 33.
\nThe train had a puncture<\/p>\n

WORK EXCUSES<\/p>\n

I cant come to work because I lost the house keys, I’m locked in.
\nIt is against my religion to work on Mondays and Wednesdays.
\nI’d love to come to work today, but I got on the wrong train and I’m now in Edinburgh.
\nI cant come to work because the aliens are coming tonight and I’m baking cakes to give to them as peace offerings.
\nI am not coming in because I tried to dye my hair blonde, but it came out green!
\n“I am converting my calendar from Julian to Gregorian.”
\n“The dog ate my car keys. We’re going to hitchhike to the vet.”
\nI’m calling in because I am sick: sick – of work!<\/p>\n

GENERAL EXCUSES<\/p>\n

Id love to but… Im teaching my cat to sing.
\nI’d love to but… my dogs teaching me to bark.
\ni’d love to, but ……. i gotta go walk my turtle.
\nI’d love to but……..I’m migrating south for the winter.
\nI’d love to but… I’m trying to be less popular.
\nI’d love to but… None of my socks match.<\/p>\n

Crazy excuses \u2013 but none as crazy as the excuses offered by the party guests in the story Jesus told.
\n16 Jesus replied: \u201cA certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, \u2018Come, for everything is now ready.\u2019
\n18 \u201cBut they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, \u2018I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.\u2019
\n19 \u201cAnother said, \u2018I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I\u2019m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.\u2019
\n20 \u201cStill another said, \u2018I have just got married, so I can\u2019t come.\u2019<\/p>\n

These could sound plausible reasons for missing even a banquet until we read carefully.
\n17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, \u2018Come, for everything is now ready.\u2019 18 \u201cBut they all alike began to make excuses.
\nIn those days people didn\u2019t have diaries or organisers or even calendars. So when they gave a banquet, the host would do the invitations in two stages. Firstly, weeks or months ahead, he would say, \u201cWould you like to come to my banquet?\u201d and people would say yes please or no I can\u2019t. Then, ON THE DAY, when the banquet was prepared, the host would send a message to those who had already accepted his invitation saying, today\u2019s the day, the banquet is ready, come and eat!
\nSo that\u2019s why these excuses are so crazy. These are people who had ALREADY accepted the invitation who ON THE DAY are saying \u201cI can\u2019t be bothered to come!<\/p>\n

18 \u201cBut they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, \u2018I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.\u2019
\nIn Jesus\u2019s time NOBODY would buy a field without seeing it first!<\/p>\n

19 \u201cAnother said, \u2018I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I\u2019m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.\u2019
\nNobody would buy oxen without trying them out first!<\/p>\n

20 \u201cStill another said, \u2018I have just got married, so I can\u2019t come.\u2019
\nIn Jesus\u2019s day, nobody would get married on short notice! When they accepted the invitation to the Banquet they would have been planning the wedding already!<\/p>\n

Banquets
\nCIVIC DINNER \u2013
\nSALTERS COMPANY University College \u2013 Main Hall of Durham Castle
\n11 \/ 13 courses<\/p>\n

GOD is giving a banquet: picture of all the blessings of salvation
\nWonderful food,
\nWonderful companionship
\nNot just heaven
\n\u2013 not just pie in the sky when you die but cake on your plate while you wait! Eternal life which begins now and which even death cannot take away.<\/p>\n

God\u2019s banquet is the greatest joy anybody can experience. How crazy that people make excuses!<\/p>\n

The first said, \u2018I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.\u2019
\nField = possessions \u2013 lots of people put money and possessions before God!<\/p>\n

Matthew 6:19 \u201cDo not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.<\/p>\n

19 \u201cAnother said, \u2018I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I\u2019m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.\u2019
\nOxen = work \u2013 lots of people say they haven\u2019t time for God because they are too busy with work!<\/p>\n

Luke 12:16 And he told them this parable: \u201cThe ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, \u2018What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.\u2019
\n18 \u201cThen he said, \u2018This is what I\u2019ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I\u2019ll say to myself, \u201cYou have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.\u201d \u2019
\n20 \u201cBut God said to him, \u2018You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?\u2019
\n21 \u201cThis is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God.\u201d<\/p>\n

20 \u201cStill another said, \u2018I have just got married, so I can\u2019t come.\u2019
\nFor lots of people, their relationships are more important to them than God is!<\/p>\n

Luke 8:19 Now Jesus\u2019 mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, \u201cYour mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.\u201d
\n21 He replied, \u201cMy mother and brothers are those who hear God\u2019s word and put it into practice.\u201d
\nGOD is more important than anybody else. Knowing God is more important than any other relationships!<\/p>\n

Lots of people have excuses about why they don\u2019t come to church.<\/p>\n

I don’t like going to church because the priest is too loud, the choir can’t sing, and the man behind me keeps coughing!
\nI don’t want to go to church because my kids don’t want to go and I can’t find a babysitter for them.
\nGod can hear me worship from home.
\nThey don’t sing the songs I like.
\nThe whole service caters to young people.
\nThe whole service is designed for old people.
\nThe sermon is too long.
\nI have nothing to wear.
\nChurch Excuse: Veni, Vidi, NoN-Velcro. (I came, I Saw, I didn’t stick around.)<\/p>\n

Hear God\u2019s wonderful invitation to His banquet for EVERYBODY!
\nIsaiah 55 \u201cCome, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;
\nand you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
\nCome, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
\n2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy?
\nListen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
\n3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. \u2026.
\n6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
\n7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.
\nLet him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
\nand to our God, for he will freely pardon.<\/p>\n

What a wonderful invitation God gives to US ALL!
\nyour soul will delight in the richest of fare.
\nLet him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
\nand to our God, for he will freely pardon.<\/p>\n

There are many people who like to accept the invitation God gives, but don\u2019t turn up for the banquet! People who want God\u2019s blessings but when the time comes can\u2019t be bothered to turn up. People who like the idea of salvation but can\u2019t be bothered to enjoy it! CRAZY!!<\/p>\n

But God really wants people to enjoy the blessings of his salvation!<\/p>\n

21 \u201cThe servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, \u2018Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.\u2019
\n22 \u201c \u2018Sir,\u2019 the servant said, \u2018what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.\u2019
\n23 \u201cThen the master told his servant, \u2018Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.<\/p>\n

Today for mother\u2019s day many many women will have received invitations. To go for a special meal. To spend time with their children and their families. I am sure all those mothers will have accepted those invitations!<\/p>\n

And I am very sure that when the time arrives for the meal, or somebody comes to collect them, these mothers won\u2019t be making silly excuses. They wont be saying \u201cI can\u2019t be bothered to come!\u201d<\/p>\n

So what is our response to the invitation to God\u2019s banquet? Are you coming to the party?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Things I miss about teaching at SCHOOL \u2013 the excuses children make. I was late for class because i was fighting with a kid…<\/span><\/p>\n

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